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1. I took the morning off today to watch the swearing in ceremony for our new Prime Minister. I don’t regret it at all. The best moment for me was seeing that he had made good on his promise to achieve gender parity in the Cabinet. Half men, half women, for the first time in Canadian history.

2. Best moment of the whole thing? When a reporter asked him why gender parity was important to him, and he said “Because it’s 2015.” Just like that.

3. I leave in the morning for 14 days.

4. I have no idea how to pack for that. I really don’t own that many pairs of acceptable underpants. Or shirts. Or pants.

5. Fourteen days is a long time to pack knitting for. I know I’ll be in woolly places, so I don’t need to fear running out, but I do think I should leave with some sort of a knitting plan.

Well, hopefully no one will see your underwear – acceptable or not. Many hotels have some kind of laundry service available, or with all the folks willing to bring you beers and the like perhaps someone would be willing to let you use their washing machine. 🙂

Good luck with the knitting, though – while you might be in wooly places, that is quite a temptation. Without a knitting plan, you could spend quite a bit of money! I don’t know if I would have opened the Christmas spreadsheet. I am still in denial.

You need to invest in 2 pair of ‘travel underwear’ from a good sporting goods store.
1 to wear, 1 to pack —- they wash with a drop of soap or shampoo in a hotel bathroom, wring dry in a hand towel (like knitting, roll, step on it, unroll) and overnight – you have a dry, clean pair.

You can resort to blow-dryer drying in a crunch —- more room for knitting if you are only packing what you ‘wear plus a spare’.

We have come to the fine conclusion that on certain extended trips planning a strategic bit of laundry is a good investment. We were stunned to learn in Hawaii that a local laundry/dry cleaner would do 9 lbs of laundry for about $6. Way less than the extra suitcase would have cost in one direction.

I love how you guys just get to it regarding elections. Six weeks of campaigning, three weeks until swearing in and done. Back to the business of running the governement. You have seen the current circus here in the US hmm? We have TWELVE MORE MONTHS of this. Sigh. Enjoy your trip

I got to see Trudeau and his wife and cabinet walk up to Parliament Hill today! I was taking a client on a tour of the Hill and while we waited outside in the sunshine for our tour to start, they walked by right in front of us! Trudeau looked happy, relaxed, and made jokes with the other tourists as he walked by with lots and lots of police around. I am a staunch NDP supporter and an unrealistically extreme socialist at heart, but I have to say: What a start!

Situations like this are surely what multipacks of knickers at the supermarket are for, right?

I made my Solstice list and have started working on it… everyone’s getting woven scarves this year, because it’s so much quicker. The biggest problem is, I have a horrible habit of knitting/weaving/making what I want to make, and then fitting it to a present later. This makes for uncomfortable moments when my brother reveals that his girlfriend hates purple, and I have to find someone ELSE worthy of a handwoven purple scarf. Poot.

Strangely, I’ve got the opposite problem with mom on purple… If it’s purple, she’s likely going to want to swipe it. Or if it has really cool graphics, like my Motorhead teeshirts. Or some of the (machine-knit) sweaters I own… Yeah, never mind that the one’s practically a dress on her.

I’m packing for a long trip as well. I count how many days between access to washing machines and pack accordingly. Knitting is trickier — I had my knitting needles confiscated in Lisbon earlier this year, so I wondering if this will happen again, as I’ve a long international trip coming up — Prague, then Athens, then home. what to do what to do….

Do they let you carry ballpoint pens? Some ballpoint pens are thin enough to knit with, and long enough to knit at least a baby hat with. A little nail polish on the ink end of four or five (or six) pens, and voila, one-ended dpns (one point is all you need for circular knitting). Elastic bands can be end-stoppers for flat knitting a narrow scarf. If all else fails, there’s always lucet cordmaking, which can be done on two fingers, no tools needed.

I was recently in France for two weeks without laundry facilities. Shampoo makes great laundry detergent for unmentionables. I simply rotated the small amount of clothing I took with me and used different scarves to change the look.

Take a long piece of string for washing underwear in the sink (with shampoo) and hanging to dry in your hotel room. Make it about 10-12 feet long, double and twist it. Secure to table leg, chair etc. Poke end of knickers between twisted strands. Voila, no need for pegs.

I was so proud watching the Swearing In this morning! Please let the PM and new Cabinet continue to be so fantastic that I don’t have to listen to people around me say I told you so. Let the Sunny Ways shine on!

As an American who lives in New Hampshire I envy you Canadians for many things,but especially for your election and swearing in process. Campaigning for the 2016 presidential election started here in the granite state over a year ago and we still have 364 days to go. Thank goodness I have knitting to help me get through it.

I spent 3 weeks in Europe in 1999 with one twin set, two other tops and 2 pairs of stretchy cotton slacks. Obviously washing was done at least 2 or 3 times, but by the end of the trip, I was so sick of the twin set that I tossed it away when I got home! As to knitting, take some patterns you want to make (with appropriate needles) and buy the yarn during your trip. You can mail finished knitwear back home for very little money. Best of luck!

For long trips, go to the store and buy 2 packages of new underwear. I did that for my husband’s overseas trip. It’s just easier. I use the hotel ‘cleaning’ bag to stash my dirty laundry.
You say you are going somewhere wooly. Pack light and if you need to, you can obtain a project en route.
Where’s the chocolate? Pack that too. Bon Voyage!

When traveling for extended periods I pack for 4-5 days and plan to do laundry along the way (packing 6-7 days worth of underwear is advisable). You’ll be moving around to different locations so the people you’re with won’t know you’re wearing the same shirt again.

Socks, definitely socks. Or not. Take along the extra needles for those wooly temptations that are bound to pop up on a 14-day trip. You know, those sudden inspirations that arrive full-blown when THE perfect yarn presents itself.

Sure wish we had the Canadian election process here in the U.S. (Sigh)

I traveled to Hawaii for two weeks with one suitcase and did fine… with a little help from a local Laundromat. It didn’t hurt that socks were optional and there were plenty of stores. I like the panty liner idea just in general too. Wash things as needed, layer, mix & match. People will be seeing your smiling face and not caring about whether you’re wearing the same sweater as two days ago!

During a recent three week trip I hand washed at night with a bar of castille soap that I kept double baggied. No liquids to spill in the suitcase and I had clean undies. I also packed those old undies. You know, the ones that are clearly worn out, but you think you can eke out a few more days in them. Those, I wore and…threw away. Shocking, but kind of liberating.

I am so proud and happy for our neighbours to the north (look, I spelled it weird just for you!)… and envious, too. Am a little bit in love with your new Prime Minister. Safe and happy travels for the next two weeks!

I think you need a wee bit of retail therapy; for some undies at least, bright happy ones. If you only brought undies and knitting it would definitely cut down on check-in time at the airport. By the 13th day….
“Ahh look out! Smelly lady with pointy sticks!”

Pack a couple of foundation pants & tops. Then accessorize, accessorize, accessorize with several cowls, shawls & scarves. You can’t go wrong! If you need more, then take along yarn, pattern & a plan to knit them either for yourself or as gifts.
It’s all good. Just remember everyone is there to see you not what you’re wearing.

I’m excited about the Columbia Gorge Fiberfest, it’s going to be my first one! There are a million awesome yarn shops to visit in the area (my fave is Twisted, Ann Budd herself is there right now, woot) so if you need a new project or buttons or something, you’ll be in the right spot for it. Also, if you don’t pack enough clothes, there are a zillion second-hand shops in Portland where you can pick up a whole new outfit for around $10. See you there!

I was gone for two weeks, then back home for five days, and tomorrow am off for another week of travel. Packing the suitcase has become somewhat simpler. However, I can’t seem to keep up with the knitting plan! I just purchased two skeins of super bulky goodness I hope will manifest itself into something wonderful given that I have packed all my needles and downloaded every pattern I have access to. Fingers crossed?